Imaging lens and camera module

ABSTRACT

Provided is an imaging lens and a camera module, the device including in an orderly way from an object side, a first lens with positive (+) refractive power; a second lens with negative (−) refractive power; a third lens with negative (−) refractive power; a fourth lens with negative (−) refractive power; and a fifth lens with negative (−) refractive power, wherein the lens is concavely formed at an object side surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/060,241, filed Oct. 22, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/589,601, filed Aug. 20, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,593,738, issued Nov. 26, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/967,955, filed Dec. 14, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,358,474, issued Jan. 22, 2013, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0124183, filed Dec. 14, 2009, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image lens and a camera module, and in particular, to an image lens for an image lens adequate for a camera module using a high-resolution image sensor and the camera module.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, vigorous research efforts are being made in the field of a mobile phone-purpose camera module, a digital still camera (DSC), a camcorder, and a PC camera (an imaging device attached to a person computer) all connected with an image pick-up system. One of the most important components in order that a camera module related to such an image pickup system obtains an image is an imaging lens producing an image.

Previously, there have been attempts to construct an imaging lens of high-resolution by using 5 pieces of lenses. Each of 5 pieces of lenses is comprised of lenses with a positive (+) refractive power and lenses with a negative (−) refractive power. For example, an imaging lens is constructed on a structure of PNNPN (+−−−+−), PNPNN (+−+−−) or PPNPN (++−+−) in order starting from an object side. However, an imaging module of such a framework fails to show approving optic characteristics or aberration characteristics. Accordingly, a high-resolution imaging lens of a new power structure is required.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one general aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging lens, the imaging lens comprising: in order from an object side of the imaging lens:

-   -   a first lens of a positive lens having a convex surface on the         object side thereof;     -   a second lens of a negative lens having a concave surface on the         image side thereof;     -   a third lens having aspheric faces at both an object side         surface and an image side surface;     -   a fourth lens in a meniscus shape having a concave surface on         the object side thereof; and     -   a fifth lens of a negative lens in a meniscus shape.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the third lens may have an object-side surface that is concave at the optical axis.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the third lens may have a meniscus shape at the optical axis.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the fifth lens may have a meniscus shape at the optical axis and a convex surface on the object side thereof.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the first lens may have a meniscus shape at the optical axis.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the fourth lens and the fifth lens may be aspheric at both an object side surface and an image side surface.

Preferably, but not necessarily, both surfaces of the second lens may have a concave surface.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the fourth lens may have a meniscus shape at the optical axis.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the fifth lens may have all aspheric inflection points at the object side surface and an image side surface.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the imaging lens may satisfy a condition of 0.5<f1/f<1.5, where an overall focal length of the imaging lens is f, and a focal length of the first lens is fl.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the imaging lens may satisfy a condition of 0.5<ΣT/f<1.5, where an overall focal length of the imaging lens is f, and a distance from an object side surface of the first lens to an image-forming surface is ΣT.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the imaging lens may satisfy a condition of 1.6<N2<1.7, where a refractive index of the second lens is N2.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the imaging lens may satisfy a condition of 20<V2<30, where an Abbe number of the second lens is V2.

Preferably, but not necessarily, an aperture may be positioned at an object side surface of the first lens.

In another general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera module, the camera module including an imaging lens, a filter and a light receiving element in order from an object side, wherein the imaging lens comprises in order from an object side of an imaging lens:

-   -   a first lens of a positive lens having a convex surface on the         object side thereof;     -   a second lens of a negative lens having a concave surface on the         image side thereof;     -   a third lens with refractive power;     -   a fourth lens with refractive power; and     -   a fifth lens with refractive power and having aspheric         inflection points at an object side surface and an image side         surface,     -   wherein the following conditional expression is satisfied:     -   f1<|f2|<|f3|, wherein f1 is a focal length of the first lens, f2         is a focal length of the second lens, and f3 is a focal length         of the third lens.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the imaging lens may satisfy a condition of 1.6<N2<1.7, where a refractive index of the second lens is N2.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the second lens may have a concave image side surface.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the fifth lens may have a convex object side surface.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the third lens may have negative refractive power.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the fifth lens may have negative refractive power.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a construction diagram of an imaging lens according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a graph showing aberration characteristic according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are graphs showing Coma aberration according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Since the present invention can be applied with various changes thereto and have several types of embodiments, specific embodiments intend to be exemplified in the drawings and minutely described in the detailed description. However, it does not limit the present invention to a specific example but should be appreciated to include all the changes, equivalents and replacements which fall in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

Stated that any component is “connected” or “conjunctive” to another component, it will be appreciated to be directly connected or conjunctive to the very another component or otherwise that there exists any component in the midst of them.

In the following, the present invention will be described in detail referring to the attached drawings, but without regard to a drawing sign, an identical or corresponding component is assigned the same reference numeral and a redundant description regarding this will be omitted. As a construction diagram of a camera lens module according to the present embodiment, FIG. 1 is a lateral surface construction diagram exemplifying a layout state of a lens around an optical axis ZO. In the construction of FIG. 1, a thickness, size, and shape of a lens are rather overdrawn for description, and a spheric or aspheric shape has been only presented as one embodiment, but obviously not limited to this shape.

Referring to FIG. 1, an imaging lens of the present invention has a layout construction with a first lens 10, a second lens 20, a third lens 30, a fourth lens 40, a fifth lens 50, a filter 60, and a light receiving element 70 in an order from an object side.

Light corresponding to image information of a subject passes through the first lens 10, the second lens 20, the third lens 30, the fourth lens 40, the fifth lens 50, and the filter 60 to be incident on the light receiving element 70.

Hereinafter, in description of a construction of each lens, “object side surface” means a surface of a lens facing an object side to an optical axis, and “image side surface” means a surface of a lens facing an image surface to an optical axis.

A first lens 10 has positive (+) refractive power and its object side surface S1 is convexly formed. An object side surface S1 of a fourth lens 10 may act as an aperture, and in this case, an imaging lens of the present embodiment may not need an additional aperture. Also, an aperture 20 is negative (−) refractive power, and its object side surface S3 is concavely formed.

A third lens 30, a fourth lens 40 and a fifth lens 50 are all constructed of an aspheric face at an object side surface and an imaging side surface. A third lens 30 and a third lens 40 have negative (−) refractive power, and a fifth lens 50 has a refractive power in negative value.

As shown in the figure, a third lens 30 is a meniscus form being an object side surface S5 concavely formed. The fourth lens 40 is a meniscus form in which an object side surface S7 is concavely formed, and a fifth lens 50 is a meniscus form in which an object side surface S9 is convexly formed.

Here, a fifth lens 50 is an aspheric form in which both surfaces of an object side surface S9 and an imaging side surface S10 are all given inflection points. As shown in the figure, an imaging side surface S10 of a fifth lens 50 is bent towards an imaging side as heading from a central part which is centered on an optical axis ZO to a surrounding, and again forms an aspheric inflection point by bending into an object side as marching from a surrounding part which is far away off an optical axis ZO to an outermost angle area.

An aspheric inflection point formed at a fifth lens 50 may adjust a maximum emergence angle of a primary ray incident on a light receiving element 70. And, an aspheric inflection point formed at an object side surface S9 and an object side surface S10 of a fifth lens 40 adjusts a maximum emergence angle of a primary ray, and prevents a shading of a surrounding part of a screen.

The filter 60 is at least any one of optical filters such as an infrared filter and a cover glass. A filter 40, in a case an infrared filter is applied, blocks such that radiating heat emitting from external light does not transfer to the light receiving element 70. Also, an infrared filter penetrates visible light and reflects infrared for outflow to an external part.

The light receiving element 70 is an imaging sensor such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

The first lens 10, the second lens 20, the third lens 30, the fourth lens 40 and the fifth lens 50 use an aspheric lens like a later-described embodiment, thereby improving resolution of a lens and taking an advantage of superior aberration characteristic.

A later-described conditions and embodiment is a preferred embodiment raising an action and effect, and it would be understood by a person in the art that the present invention should be constructed of the following conditions. For example, a lens construction of the invention will have a raised action and effect only by satisfying part of conditions among lower-part described condition equations.

0.5<f1/f<1.5   [Condition 1]

0.5<T/f <1.5   [Condition 2]

1.6<N2<1.7   [Condition 3]

20<V2<30   [Condition 4]

-   -   where, f: overall focal length of imaging lens     -   f1: focal length of first lens     -   T: distance from object side surface of first lens to         image-forming surface     -   N2: refractive index of second lens     -   V2: Abbe value of second lens

Condition 1 specifies refractive power of a first lens 10. The first lens 10 has a refractive power having proper spherical aberration and proper chromatic aberration corrected by Condition 1. Condition 2 specifies a dimension of an optical axis direction of an overall optical system, that is, defines a subminiature lens related condition and a proper aberration correction related condition.

Condition 3 specifies reflective index of a second lens 20, and Condition 4 specifies Abbe number of a second lens 20. Specification of reflective index and Abbe number of each lens is conditions for satisfactorily correcting chromatic aberration.

Hereinafter, an action and effect of the present invention will be presented with reference to a specific embodiment. An aspheric shape mentioned in the following embodiment is obtained from a known Equation 1, where k denotes Conic constant and ‘E and its continuing number’ used in aspheric coefficient A, B, C, D, E, F denotes power of 10. For example, E+01 indicates 10¹, and E-02 indicates 10⁻².

$\begin{matrix} {{z = {\frac{{cY}^{2}}{\left. {1 + {\sqrt{1 - \left( {1 +} \right.}K}} \right)c^{2}Y^{2}} + {AY}^{4} + {BY}^{4} + {CY}^{4} + {DY}^{4} + {EY}^{4} + {FY} + \ldots}}\mspace{14mu}} & \left\lbrack {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 1} \right\rbrack \end{matrix}$

where, z: distance in optical axis direction from top point of lens

-   -   c: basic curvature of lens     -   Y: distance in perpendicular direction to optical axis     -   K: Conic constant     -   A, B, C, D, E, F: aspheric coefficient

Embodiments

The following Table 1 shows an embodiment complying with the above-described Condition.

TABLE 1 Embodiment f 5.78 f1 3.36 f2 −6.84 f3 −100 f4 −100 f5 −100 f1/f 0.58 T 6.44 T/f 1.11 N2 1.62 V2 26

Referring to Table 1, f1/f is 0.581, so that it can be known to match with Condition 1, T/f is 1.11, and thus matching to Condition 2 can be known. Also, refractive index N of a second lens 20 complies with Condition 3, and it can be appreciated that Abbe number V2 of a second lens 20 matches to Condition 4.

An embodiment of Table 2 shows a more specific embodiment over an embodiment of Table 1.

TABLE 2 Surface Curvature Thickness or Refractive number Radius (R) Distance (d) index (N) 1* 1.9 0.70 1.59 2* 22.7 0.20 3* −13.1 0.40 1.61 4* 6.4 0.44 5* −16.6 0.56 1.53 6* −24.4 0.76 7* −1.7 0.70 1.53 8* −2.0 0.10 9* 2.3 0.85 1.53 10*  1.9 0.56 11  0.30 1.52 12  0.88 image −0.02 In the above Table 2 and the following Table 3, notation * stated next to surface numbers indicates an aspheric surface.

The following Table 3 indicates a value of an aspheric coefficient of each lens in an embodiment of the Table 2.

TABLE 3 Surface Number k A B C D E F 1* 0.031132 0.530590E−0 0.454248E−02 −0.977041E−03 0.112390E−02 −0.763141E−04 2* 0 0.138110E−02 −0.242609E−02 −0.183146E−02 −0.229414E−02 0.141290E−02 3* 0 −0.470439E−02 −0.681563E−02 −0.145754E−02 0.240966E−02 −0.141168E−03 4* 0 0.144273E−01 0.742174E−02 0.307285E−02 0.109284E−02 0.728490E−02 5* 0 −0.109635E−01 −0.263756E−02 0.627748E−03 0.268656E−02 −0.381210E−03 6* 0 0.114874E−01 −0.207353E−02 0.353580E−02 0.212405E−02 −0.425894E−03 7* −8.247871 −0.842418E−01 −0.639694E−02 0.108078E−01 −0.440222E−03 −0.190031E−03 8* −0.234956 −0.145469E−01 −0.137677E−02 0.375517E−02 0.973959E−03 −0.374778E−03 9* −1.438254 −0.133117E+00 0.498423E−01 −0.105833E−01 0.122936E−02 −0.587350E−04 −0.657907E−06 10*  −3.754230 −0.636660E−01 0.190847E−01 −0.370502E−02 0.393843E−03 −0.185263E−04 −0.636154E−09

As a graph measuring coma aberration, FIG. 2 is a graph measuring tangential aberration and sagittal aberration of each wavelength based on a field height.

In FIG. 2, as a graph showing a test result approaches to an X axis at a positive axis and a negative axis, respectively, it is explained that a coma aberration correction function is good. In measurement examples of FIG. 2, a value of images in nearly all fields appear proximate to an X axis, it is explained that all of them show a superior commatic aberration correction function.

In FIG. 2, a Y axis means size of an image, and an X axis means focal distance (unit: mm) and distortion degree (unit: %). In FIG. 2, it is interpreted that an aberration correction function is good as curves approach to the Y axis. In a shown aberration diagram, because a value of images in nearly all fields appears proximate to the Y axis, and longitudinal spherical aberration, astigmatic field curves, and distortion all show a superior figure.

As a graph measuring coma aberration, FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are graphs measuring tangential aberration and sagittal aberration of each wavelength based on a field height. In FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, as a graph showing a test result approaches to an X axis at a positive axis and a negative axis, respectively, it is explained that a coma aberration correction function is good. In measurement examples of FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, a value of images in nearly all fields appear proximate to an X axis, it is explained that all of them show a superior commatic aberration correction function.

While the present invention has been described with reference to embodiments in the above part, it would be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, not confined to the above-described embodiment, the invention would be asserted to include all embodiments within the scope of the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An imaging lens comprising: in order from an object side of the imaging lens: a first lens of a positive lens having a convex surface on the object side thereof; a second lens of a negative lens having a concave surface on the image side thereof; a third lens having aspheric faces at both an object side surface and an image side surface; a fourth lens in a meniscus shape having a concave surface on the object side thereof; and a fifth lens of a negative lens in a meniscus shape.
 2. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the third lens has an object-side surface that is concave at the optical axis.
 3. The imaging lens according to claim 2, wherein the third lens has a meniscus shape at the optical axis.
 4. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the fifth lens has a meniscus shape at the optical axis and a convex surface on the object side thereof.
 5. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the first lens has a meniscus shape at the optical axis.
 6. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the fourth lens and the fifth lens are aspheric at both an object side surface and an image side surface.
 7. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein both surfaces of the second lens have a concave surface.
 8. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the fourth lens has a meniscus shape at the optical axis.
 9. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the fifth lens has all aspheric inflection points at the object side surface and an image side surface.
 10. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the imaging lens satisfies a condition of 0.5<f1/f<1.5, where an overall focal length of the imaging lens is f, and a focal length of the first lens is f1.
 11. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the imaging lens satisfies a condition of 0.5<ΣT/f<1.5, where an overall focal length of the imaging lens is f, and a distance from an object side surface of the first lens to an image-forming surface is ΣT.
 12. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the imaging lens satisfies a condition of 1.6<N2<1.7, where a refractive index of the second lens is N2.
 13. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein the imaging lens satisfies a condition of 20<V2<30, where an Abbe number of the second lens is V2.
 14. The imaging lens according to claim 1, wherein an aperture is positioned at an object side surface of the first lens.
 15. A camera module, comprising an imaging lens, a filter and a light receiving element in order from an object side, wherein the imaging lens comprises in order from an object side of an imaging lens: a first lens of a positive lens having a convex surface on the object side thereof; a second lens of a negative lens having a concave surface on the image side thereof; a third lens with refractive power; a fourth lens with refractive power; and a fifth lens with refractive power and having aspheric inflection points at an object side surface and an image side surface wherein the following conditional expression is satisfied: f1<|f2|<f3|, wherein f1 is a focal length of the first lens, f2 is a focal length of the second lens, and f3 is a focal length of the third lens.
 16. The camera module according to claim 15, wherein the imaging lens satisfies a condition of 1.6<N2<1.7, where a refractive index of the second lens is N2.
 17. The camera module according to claim 15, wherein the second lens has a concave image side surface.
 18. The camera module according to claim 15, wherein the fifth lens has a convex object side surface.
 19. The camera module according to claim 15, wherein the third lens has negative refractive power.
 20. The camera module according to claim 15, wherein the fifth lens has negative refractive power. 